NHS dental care

[Milkteefs]

Hi all, wasn't sure where best place was to post this! I have a private dental plan and am currently pregnant. I told my dentist and they very kindly said they'd register me as an nhs patient until I was no longer eligible but that I'd have to cancel the contract myself with the private dental care plan company as its distinct from the dental practice. Tried phoning, and I appreciate these are sales people, and all I got was grief about how if my teeth all fell out (?!) nobody would see me on the NHS and I couldn't get my teeth fixed?!

But surely being pregnant means I'll get free dental care... Does that mean I don't have to pay for anything at all? Does anyone know? As it currently stands I seem to pay for everything despite being private, wouldn't mind saving a couple of hundred quid if I can! Not that it matters but am a very low maintenance patient I can't imagine I'll need more than a routine check during this period and would go back private after! X

I would just say to find out if any local dentists are accepting NHS patients right now first. I'm 28 weeks pregnant, could do with a check up but no-one is taking on new patients and most local practices keep cancelling appts last minute, and it's a 2 min check up anyway because they won't use any of the machinery to give a scale and polish whilst you're there.
At this rate I won't get to take advantage of the free care

Nothing at all.

I have always used NHS dentists and I assure you my teeth have never been left to fall out. Indeed, for emergency work it's always same or next day. Absolutely free for everything during the pregnancy exemption period, including (I think) any work begun during this period, but completed after it ends.

@Blondepotter thanks, but my dentist are willing to move me to an nhs dentist 'in house', but I do accept itd be hard to get on the books somewhere at no notice under usual circumstances
@Herja thanks, that's what I was wondering. Am so used to paying 80 odd pound for a filling it'd blow my mind to get it for free?! Haha

Yes. As long as it isn't classed as cosmetic, you get it free I believe. So check ups, fillings ect.
However, I believe they don't do fillings and stuff whilst pregnant.
Although you do get it free until your baby is 1

If you can get an NHS place I would not be going back to private after your exemption runs out.
You will get all essential care free on the NHS until 1 year after baby birth. After that it's the band system for NHS care. All work deemed cosmetic is done as private and requires full payment.
My practice is NHS and they are really good at adding baby on without requiring them to go on a waiting list too. You need to register baby for an NHS dentist place ASAP after birth, I start ours with regular checkups before all their baby teeth are through.

They and filling during pregnancy but avoid the silver ones, they will only do essential x-rays and repairs during pregnancy simply to limit any risk to baby.